On Becoming a Writer

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ec“On Becoming a Writer” by Russell Baker G. Ward English Composition “On Becoming a Writer” The name of this essay is called “On Becoming a Writer” by Russell Baker. Russell Baker was born in Virginia in the year of 1925. In 1947 Russell Baker began his professional writing career; writing for the Baltimore Sun. Baker also won a Pulitzer Prize for his commentary called “The Observer” in 1962. Baker also is the author of the book “Growing Up”, which also won a Pulitzer Prize in 1982. In Russell Baker’s writing called “Becoming a Writer” Baker documents the early start of his writing career. Baker explains that at the young age of sixteen years old he knew he was destined to become a great writer, which is solidified with a retrospective evaluation of his career. Baker’s quote “The only thing that truly interested me was writing, and I knew that sixteen year olds did not come out of high school and become writers.” Showcases his predetermined choice of career despite the obvious opposition of the society in which he lived. Put simply, Russell Baker examined the mitigating circumstances of his career choice and remained determined to achieve his goal of becoming a writer, despite his youthfulness. Baker explains that whilst in school he had written an informal essay titled “The Art of Eating Spaghetti” with very little motivation. In fact he had not chosen the topic among others given to him in a list until merely a day before the essay was due. Russell explains that he chose this subject for one reason alone, and that is because it conjured his own vivid recollections of sharing the meal with his family members. He explains that he wrote this essay not for the sake of his instructor but because he wanted to write about the warmth and good feeling of it and write about it in for his own enjoyment. To his disbelief his essay was showcased to his peers and

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